Analysis of Adoption of Improved Coffee Technologies in Major Coffee Growing Areas of Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia is the birthplace of Coffee Arabica and mostly produces this variety. Coffee is the most significant agricultural produce in the Ethiopian economy that contributes for foreign earning. This paper aimed at analyzing factors affecting adoption of improved coffee varieties in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia. In this study a multi-stage stratified sampling technique was employed to select rural kebeles and households. Four rural kebeles from Sidama zone were selected randomly. Structured interview schedule was developed, pre-tested and used for collecting the essential quantitative data for the study from 201 randomly selected households. Descriptive statistics, Tobit models were employed to analyze data. Results of descriptive analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences between adopter and non-adopter households with being a model farmer, owning pruning scissor, and frequency of plough, frequency of weeding and age of household head. Consistent with the findings of previous studies, regression results showed that improved coffee adoption decision of farm households has been determined by age of household head, size of land owned, owning pruning scissor, owning motor pump, Frequency of plough and frequency of weeding.

Keywords: Adoption, improved coffee, Tobit model, Sidama zone